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ALM

On Thursday afternoon, in true notonthehighstreet.com style, we celebrated our seventh birthday at our ALM (Annual Love-in Meeting). We were collected from our HQ in Richmond in two huge old Routemaster buses and set off across London. On our arrival in Dalston we were greeted by this:

Yes, we know it doesn’t look like the ultimate party venue from the outside, but don’t be deceived – on entering we discovered an Aladdin’s cave. Previously a car repair garage, the space is a raw mix of different eras and styles. The untouched Victorian street running the width of the building is testament to the 6,000 square foot venue’s varied past. The place itself is full of character and charm, filled with intriguing props and furniture that work together to create a truly unique space. We were instantly captivated by the objects we came across in this building, urgently Instagramming pictures of every nook and cranny. Everything had a place: from retro elevator cages to railway sleeper carts masquerading as tables. By blending heavily industrial architecture with original items, the venue shows how carefully curated objects can transform any space. With a heady mix of raw industrial features paired with eye-catching props, the venue was a perfect fit for notonthehighstreet.com‘s annual meeting.

After the excitement of arriving (and frantic picture-taking) had subsided, we settled down to celebrate our company’s journey so far. A series of speeches from Holly and Sophie, and other members of our team, celebrated our progress over the past seven years and highlighted a continued promise to provide not only the most unique items, but the best shopping experience for our customers. These engaging presentations were rounded up by the arrival of an ice cream seller (much to our delight), offering flavours such as lemon and ginger and mint chocolate chip – just what the doctor ordered on a hot spring afternoon.

Following the delicious ice cream, we took part in a series of workshops and games that tested our knowledge of our customers, sellers and products. We learnt a great deal throughout the course of the afternoon, not least that we’re all fiercely competitive at Pictionary. This fun and incredibly informative day was rounded off by yet more mouth-watering food (you know how much we like to eat) from the brilliant Michael at Street Eats. Sri Lankan street food and moreish canapes were just some of the culinary delights we were treated to.

Whilst we were preoccupied with eating as much food as we possibly could, a bar and band were being set up inside the venue. Playing Jazz remixes of popular tunes (their version of The White Stripes was a particular crowd-pleaser) the band got the party into full swing. It’s safe to say that, between the music, the amazing venue, the cocktails and the food, we certainly celebrated in style. Afterwards, we hopped back onto our vintage buses and began the long journey back to company HQ in Richmond.

If you’re planning your own party or event, here’s a few little finishing touches we used to style our day: